The “empty speech bubbles”: Explaining cancer through play. A pediatric oncology unit pilot experience

This pilot study aimed at evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a structured psycho-educational intervention designed to increase disease awareness in children with tumors. The primary objective was to promote psychological adjustment by supporting children’s understanding of their illness and facilitating open parent–child communication about cancer.

Ethics in the evaluation of the quality of scientific research: An AIOM-TJ roundtable

The current scientific ecosystem is characterized by a systemic crisis driven by the Publish or Perish culture and an exponential growth in publication volumes that outpaces the number of active researchers. Here, we highlight the limitations of traditional bibliometric indicators, such as the Impact Factor and H-index, which have become targets for manipulation and enable inflationary business models, including the proliferation of special issues.

Identification and selection of the best artificial intelligence methods developed for detection and diagnosis of breast cancer

Comprehensive identification and prioritization of developed artificial intelligence methods for the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer can help to select proper techniques. This study aimed to introduce the best artificial intelligence techniques developed for the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer using microscopic images by fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS techniques.

Ten tips to reduce gaps in daily oncology practice

The daily practice of oncology in Italy is increasingly strained, with bureaucratic rigidity making routine clinical work progressively more difficult. A panel of clinical oncologists, reunited in the DonnaRosa Group, an emerging model of community-based collaboration, where clinicians share real-world challenges and develop actionable strategies, debate the points with the aim of producing some tips to close the gap in clinical practice.

Volume 112 Issue 2, April 2026

Read the latest issue. It contains the following articles:
The use of bone-modifying agents in early breast cancer: AIOM Guidelines update and perspectives
Delphi Study on the creation of a Committee of patients, caregivers, and representatives of patient associations
The e-BRAVE study: A prospective web-based cohort and biobank of women carriers of BRCA mutations
An indirect approach to identify the healthcare services for thyroid and melanoma cancer patients in Italy: Epicost-2 project
Association of APOC1 levels and nutritional indices with clinicopathological features and prognostic value in patients with DLBCL
Predicting severe toxicity after head-and-neck cancer RT: Validation of the synergist role of a biological marker and dosimetry
Effects of uniportal 3D video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy on postoperative pain and immune function in patients with NSCLC
Medication-related jaw osteonecrosis in metastatic RCC treated with VEGFR-TKIs ± IO and bone agents: A real-world analysis

Nuclear expression of AIRE in lung squamous cell carcinoma correlates with immune microenvironment remodeling and poor prognosis

The autoimmune regulator (AIRE), an atypical transcriptional regulator, exhibits aberrant expression in multiple tumor types. However, its significance in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is still uncertain. This study investigated AIRE’s expression, immune microenvironment association, and prognostic value in LUSC.

Quality of life and sexual function after breast conservation surgery and mastectomy without reconstruction in South Indian patients

Breast cancer is a leading malignancy among women worldwide, significantly affecting physical, psychological, and sexual well-being. Surgical options such as breast conservation surgery (BCS) and mastectomy have distinct implications on patients’ quality of life. This study aimed to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and sexual functioning in breast cancer patients undergoing BCS or mastectomy.